Welcome to part three of the 4-week Intuitive Tarot course where we are working our way through Four Elements. (CLICK HERE for lesson 1). This is course is suitable for intermediate and advanced students. By the end of the four weeks, you will have connected deeply with the cards, and should be able to sense the card energy flowing between cards as well as how it rises to meet the question at hand. Are you ready for 4 Weeks to Reading Intuitively Part 3?
This week we will ascend to the dizzying intellectual heights of the Element of Air. As usual, there are 5 exercises which you can space out one a day, with the weekend off, or you can do a couple of them in one go. There is no homework to hand in and you are free to work at your own pace. Subscribe to my newsletter, if you haven’t already, to get updated as soon as the final lesson in this series becomes available.
General instructions
The Element of Air is connected with logic, analytical ability, communication and problem resolution. An overabundance of air can result in overthinking things and a lack of air makes us confused and confusing (unable to express ourselves). I’m writing this after a solar eclipse in Pisces when the wrong ‘Best Film’ was announced at the Oscars and I myself made a terrible gaff about which sign the Moon was in here on the blog – classic examples of Air being completely overpowered by Water.
Solving crossword puzzles and Sudoku games are classical Air activities. Peppermint stimulates air. If you feel stuck when working on a project that demands mental agility and focus, drink a cup of peppermint tea or rub some peppermint oil on your temples (also good for headaches). All herbs that have a quickening effect correspond with the Element of Air. The crystal fluorite brings mental clarity.
The corresponding Tarot Suit is Swords.
For each day of doing the exercises below, keep a journal and in addition to taking notes about the exercises, make a note of your own Air levels for that day. Are you overthinking things? (high Air) Do you have tons of ideas but find it difficult to choose which one to run with? (high Air) Are you judging without fact checking? (low Air) Are you confused and really emotional? (low Air) Are having difficulties breathing? (low Air) Are you drawing mental blanks or being absentminded? (low Air)
Make sure that you can do the work for this week’s lessons undisturbed and let your family members or flat mates know that you will needs some time to yourself.
Day 1 – Locate the cardinal direction of East in relation to where you live. Place a feather or some burning incense in the East and invoke the guidance and protection of Archangel Raphael. Place the deck you are working with by your chosen Air symbol and ask God to bless your cards and your mind with an understanding of the Element of Air. Draw the alchemical symbol of Air in the palm of your receptive hand with the index finger of your dominant hand. Visualise a little whirlwind in the palm of your hand and try to sense it too. Place the palm over your heart chakra (Air centre) and breathe in the Element of Air. Every time you see/sense/become aware of Air in the week ahead, draw the symbol in the palm of your hand to strengthen the connection. Complete the exercise by touching your temples with the feather or passing the smoke of the incense over your head and while asking God to purify your mind and help you stay aligned with divine guidance.
Day 2 – Separate out the Suit of Swords. Create a clockwise circle with the Swords cards, big enough for you to sit comfortably inside it. Start with the Ace of Swords in the East. Sit down and visualise a gentle breeze all around you. Relax and breathe normally, with your eyes closed, for a minimum of 10-15 minutes. Allow images to arise – do not force anything. You can go around the circle with your mind if you like, to see if any of the cards want to step forward. You may notice that the Court Cards can get quite chatty. If you like, you can complete the exercise by holding an imaginary Sword of Truth in front of you, much like the Queen of Swords. Ask this Sword to guide you any time you have a dilemma or feel the truth is being hidden from you. Mindfully, gather your cards back together moving counter-clockwise.
Take notes of any visions or sensations that you experienced.
Day 3 – With the Suit of Swords spread out before you, turn on some music that you feel represents the Element of Air. The music should be quite upbeat. Air energy is sanguine, moves quickly and gets the lungs working. All wind instruments carry the Air element energy but you don’t have to limit your music choice to these instruments. Grab one of the Swords cards and express its energy through movement (please make sure you are sufficiently warmed up). Repeat this exercise with as many cards as you like (a minimum of three) and change the music if need be, to be more in harmony with the energy of the card you are working with. You will need to set aside an hour for this exercise.
Cool down and stretch your muscles.
Write down what you learned and make a note of which cards you struggled with. Repeat the exercise for those cards in a day or two.
Day 4 – Lay out the four Aces before you in the following order: Wands (Fire), Cups (Water), Swords (Air) and Pentacles (Earth). Focus on the Ace of swords. Meditate on how Air interacts with the other Elements: Air stirs up waves and cools Water; Too much moisture in the Air makes it difficult to breathe; Air ignites Fire and Fire can turn Air into smoke (when someone is ‘full of hot air,’ it is due to a combination of two masculine Elements); Air can stir up dust and Earth can completely block out Air.
Shuffle the Aces back into a Minors only deck (simply take the Majors out). Without asking a question, lay out five to ten cards in a row before you (keep going until you have at least one Swords card on the table), paying attention to how the Swords card(s) interacts with the other cards. Is it happy? Is there balance? What temperature is the row of cards before you? How wet or dry does it feel? What is the volume and what kind of music would be playing? Is the energy flowing smoothly from left to right or are there major blocks/interruptions? Check if the flow is better or worse when reading from right to left. Change the order of the cards until it feels right.
Contemplate what you learned and make some notes, including what changes you made and why, in your journal.
Day 5 – From a full deck, fanned out face up, intuitively choose the card that represents how Air is currently being expressed in your being. Keep this card out.
Reshuffle, cut and look through the deck face up until you come across the Air Major, 0 The Fool. The card on the left is a clue about what you need to do less of to balance your Air and the card on the right is a clue about what you need to do more of. Place these three cards below your chosen card and see/sense how the energy flows between them.
Write the reading down.
As usual, I would be delight to hear about your experiences with these lessons and experiences. Feel free to share in the comments below, or to ask any questions you may have! (Please note that comments close after two weeks)
Love and Blessings,
Lisa Frideborg